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FIA disappointed as postponement of Presidency agreement on CO2 targets puts at risk running cost and environmental savings for consumers

Press Release

Brussels, 27 June 2013

Three days after an outline agreement was reached by the Irish Presidency and MEPs to set a target of 95 g/km for passenger cars for 2020, the FIA has expressed its disappointment with today’s decision by the Council to postpone the vote.

“We are disappointed that member states, led by the German government, have decided to postpone a vote on this crucial agreement which would have led to important environmental and running cost savings for consumers,” said Jacob Bangsgaard, FIA Region I Director General.

The European Commission has estimated that the 2020 target for cars of 95 g CO2/km implies reductions in annual fuel consumption to private users and business owners of 27% compared with the 2015 mandatory target of 130g. For an average car, the Commission has said the consumer can expect to save some €340 in the first year, and a total of €2904-3836 (depending on the price of fuel) over the car's lifetime (13 years), as compared with the 2015 target.

FIA Region I represents 108 Touring and Motoring Clubs in Europe, the Middle East and Africa from its Brussels office, with the aim of providing a mobility that is safe, affordable, sustainable and efficient for all.

The outline agreement of the Presidency had also called for the introduction of a new Test Cycle at the ‘earliest opportunity’, with the Commission to come forward with a proposed target date by 2015. The gap between official fuel-economy figures and real world running costs has reached 25%, causing motorists to spend an average of €300 per year more on fuel than if the gap were closed, according to an International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) report published on 28 May 2013. Ten years ago the gap was less than 10%.

Mr Bangsgaard commented: “Consumers need certainty on the running costs they can expect. Today’s decision risks delaying the introduction of a more realistic Test Cycle, leaving us with a system which the ICCT has calculated causes consumers to spend €300 per year more on fuel than necessary”.

On supercredits, the compromise agreement had reached an acceptable compromise whereby a favourable weighting to cars that emit less than 50g of CO2 would be assigned, but any increase in the emissions target for each manufacturer deriving from the “super-credits” were to be capped at 2.5g. Furthermore, systems such as banking, whereby you ‘save’ and use the credits you have for targets beyond 2020, were not part of the Presidency agreement. The FIA reiterates its support for the terms of the compromise agreement reached by the Presidency, and its belief that ‘banking’ systems risk to significantly undermine the 95/g target.

Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) Region I office

FIA Region I represents 108 Touring and Motoring Clubs in Europe, the Middle East and Africa from its Brussels office, which total more than 38 million members. The FIA represents the interest of these members as motorists, public transport users, pedestrians and tourists.

The FIA’s primary goal is to secure a mobility that is safe, affordable, sustainable and efficient. With these aims in mind the work focuses on Road Safety, Consumer Protection, Environmental Protection, and the promotion of Sustainable Motoring.